America’s 13,043 Military Aircraft Eclipse Entire NATO Inventory

By Chris Lange Published Jun 17, 11:14AM EDT

Key Points

The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently raised the posture of the United Kingdom’s military to be at the ready
The UK is expecting to be spending more money on its military as a result of this posture
The UK ranks higher than most countries in terms of its air power, but it still has a ways to go to reach the level of the United States, Russia or China
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America’s 13,043 Military Aircraft Eclipse Entire NATO Inventory — © aeroman3 / PDM 1.0 / Flickr

The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently raised the posture of the United Kingdom’s military to be at the ready. All of this was in response to ongoing and escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine as the years long conflict continues. This announcement from Starmer came with an increase in the defense budget as well as targeted spending for new military assets like nuclear submarines to further bolster the UK’s armed forces.

Some of the spending has already been announced and there is still some speculation about where the rest will go. But one area the UK could use some improvement in is its air force, specifically its fifth-generation aircraft and its attack helicopters. Fifth-generation aircraft is a no-brainer as most of the NATO nations are stocking up on Lockheed Martin’s F-35s, or at least putting in orders.

The biggest union in the UK, Unite, is pushing for this as well but advocating the government spending go further specifically asking for new orders on aircraft. It’s worth noting that BAE Systems operates out of the UK, and partners with Lockheed Martin for about 15% of each aircraft produced in the F-35 program. Lockheed Martin also has extensive operations throughout the UK as well and has for about 80 years now.

However, the question remains — how much the UK should be spending on its military going forward and where this cash should be allocated for maximum impact.

On the world stage, the UK ranks higher than most countries in terms of its air power, but it still has a ways to go to reach the juggernauts of the United States, Russia, and China. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the world military power’s with the strongest air forces.

To determine the countries with the most military aircraft, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2025 Military Strength report from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. We ranked these countries according to which countries have the most aircraft. We added supplemental information regarding each country’s current air force, including fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, and helicopters, as well as each country’s overall military strength ranking.

Here is a look at the countries with the world’s largest air forces:

Why Are We Covering This?

Asia map in satellite picture, view of China, Korea, India, Malaysia, Taiwan from space. Orbit photo of Earth, globe at night. Dark seas and Pacific ocean. Elements of this image furnished by NASA

Understanding global military dynamics is incredibly important due to the interconnected nature of international relations and conflicts. As long as civilization has existed, the world has witnessed shifting power balances and alliances which have ultimately shaped the current geopolitical landscape. While key players like the United States, China, and Russia are considered the strongest military powers in the world, there are a number of other nations with their own spheres of influence and strengths that impact global relations from a military perspective.

30. Canada

Total military aircraft: 351
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 66
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total special mission aircraft: 33
Total tanker aircraft: 6
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 28
Total helicopters: 145
Total attack helicopters: 0
Total air force personnel: 15,560
Military defense budget: $41,000,000,000 – #15 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.5179 – #28 out of 145

29. Iraq

Total military aircraft: 391
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 26
Total strike and attack aircraft: 36
Total special mission aircraft: 17
Total tanker aircraft: 0
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 15
Total helicopters: 197
Total attack helicopters: 39
Total air force personnel: 5,000
Military defense budget: $7,923,000,000 – #37 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.7738 – #43 out of 145

28. Mexico

Total military aircraft: 433
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 3
Total strike and attack aircraft: 33
Total special mission aircraft: 25
Total tanker aircraft: 0
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 41
Total helicopters: 178
Total attack helicopters: 0
Total air force personnel: 30,515
Military defense budget: $7,600,000,000 – #39 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.5965 – #32 out of 145

27. Colombia

Colombia+Black+Hawk+helicopter | F-AIR Colombia 2017

Total military aircraft: 436
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 16
Total strike and attack aircraft: 24
Total special mission aircraft: 23
Total tanker aircraft: 1
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 86
Total helicopters: 257
Total attack helicopters: 0
Total air force personnel: 25,000
Military defense budget: $10,541,500,000 – #30 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.8353 – #46 out of 145

26. Indonesia

Total military aircraft: 459
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 41
Total strike and attack aircraft: 34
Total special mission aircraft: 17
Total tanker aircraft: 1
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 70
Total helicopters: 214
Total attack helicopters: 15
Total air force personnel: 30,100
Military defense budget: $10,600,000,000 – #29 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2557 – #13 out of 145

25. Spain

Total military aircraft: 461
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 137
Total strike and attack aircraft: 12
Total special mission aircraft: 8
Total tanker aircraft: 0
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 51
Total helicopters: 153
Total attack helicopters: 17
Total air force personnel: 23,000
Military defense budget: $23,397,000,000 – #22 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3242 – #17 out of 145

24. Poland

Total military aircraft: 479
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 59
Total strike and attack aircraft: 44
Total special mission aircraft: 11
Total tanker aircraft: 0
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 49
Total helicopters: 216
Total attack helicopters: 29
Total air force personnel: 16,500
Military defense budget: $48,700,000,000 – #12 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3776 – #22 out of 145

23. Thailand

Total military aircraft: 493
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 72
Total strike and attack aircraft: 20
Total special mission aircraft: 26
Total tanker aircraft: 0
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 54
Total helicopters: 258
Total attack helicopters: 7
Total air force personnel: 46,000
Military defense budget: $5,887,883,500 – #45 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.4536 – #26 out of 145

22. Brazil

Total military aircraft: 513
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 43
Total strike and attack aircraft: 38
Total special mission aircraft: 25
Total tanker aircraft: 0
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 109
Total helicopters: 191
Total attack helicopters: 0
Total air force personnel: 81,000
Military defense budget: $26,157,300,000 – #19 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2415 – #11 out of 145

21. Iran

Total military aircraft: 551
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 188
Total strike and attack aircraft: 21
Total special mission aircraft: 10
Total tanker aircraft: 6
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 87
Total helicopters: 128
Total attack helicopters: 13
Total air force personnel: 42,000
Military defense budget: $15,450,000,000 – #25 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3048 – #16 out of 145

20. United Arab Emirates

Total military aircraft: 551
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 99
Total strike and attack aircraft: 16
Total special mission aircraft: 27
Total tanker aircraft: 4
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 37
Total helicopters: 247
Total attack helicopters: 30
Total air force personnel: 4,000
Military defense budget: $2,212,360,382 – #70 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 1.0186 – #54 out of 145

19. Greece

Total military aircraft: 558
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 178
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total special mission aircraft: 8
Total tanker aircraft: 0
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 15
Total helicopters: 293
Total attack helicopters: 29
Total air force personnel: 42,500
Military defense budget: $6,500,000,000 – #44 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.5337 – #30 out of 145

18. Germany

Total military aircraft: 584
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 129
Total strike and attack aircraft: 63
Total special mission aircraft: 26
Total tanker aircraft: 3
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 50
Total helicopters: 309
Total attack helicopters: 54
Total air force personnel: 27,725
Military defense budget: $50,000,000,000 – #11 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2601 – #14 out of 145

17. Algeria

Total military aircraft: 608
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 102
Total strike and attack aircraft: 42
Total special mission aircraft: 10
Total tanker aircraft: 5
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 63
Total helicopters: 299
Total attack helicopters: 74
Total air force personnel: 14,000
Military defense budget: $25,000,000,000 – #21 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3589 – #20 out of 145

16. Israel

Total military aircraft: 611
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 240
Total strike and attack aircraft: 38
Total special mission aircraft: 19
Total tanker aircraft: 14
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 13
Total helicopters: 147
Total attack helicopters: 48
Total air force personnel: 89,000
Military defense budget: $30,500,000,000 – #17 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2661 – #15 out of 145

15. United Kingdom

Total military aircraft: 631
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 113
Total strike and attack aircraft: 31
Total special mission aircraft: 28
Total tanker aircraft: 9
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 29
Total helicopters: 266
Total attack helicopters: 37
Total air force personnel: 34,790
Military defense budget: $71,500,540,000 – #6 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1785 – #6 out of 145

14. Italy

NATO+airpower | 150714-F-QN515-050

Total military aircraft: 729
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 89
Total strike and attack aircraft: 67
Total special mission aircraft: 23
Total tanker aircraft: 8
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 30
Total helicopters: 392
Total attack helicopters: 37
Total air force personnel: 43,000
Military defense budget: $30,890,000,000 – #16 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2164 – #10 out of 145

13. Taiwan

Taiwan+F-16 | General Dynamics (its aviation unit now part of Lockheed Martin) F-16C Block 50D

Total military aircraft: 761
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 285
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total special mission aircraft: 18
Total tanker aircraft: 0
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 19
Total helicopters: 236
Total attack helicopters: 91
Total air force personnel: 35,000
Military defense budget: $19,740,000,000 – #23 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3988 – #23 out of 145

12. North Korea

Total military aircraft: 861
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 368
Total strike and attack aircraft: 114
Total special mission aircraft: 0
Total tanker aircraft: 0
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 1
Total helicopters: 205
Total attack helicopters: 20
Total air force personnel: 110,000
Military defense budget: $4,736,000,000 – #51 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.6016 – #34 out of 145

11. Saudi Arabia

Total military aircraft: 917
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 283
Total strike and attack aircraft: 81
Total special mission aircraft: 16
Total tanker aircraft: 22
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 49
Total helicopters: 264
Total attack helicopters: 34
Total air force personnel: 20,000
Military defense budget: $74,760,000,000 – #5 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.4201 – #25 out of 145

10. France

France+military+aircraft | Dassault Rafale C

Total military aircraft: 976
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 226
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total special mission aircraft: 44
Total tanker aircraft: 16
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 119
Total helicopters: 448
Total attack helicopters: 68
Total air force personnel: 40,500
Military defense budget: $55,000,000,000 – #9 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1878 – #8 out of 145

9. Turkey

Total military aircraft: 1,083
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 201
Total strike and attack aircraft: 0
Total special mission aircraft: 28
Total tanker aircraft: 7
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 84
Total helicopters: 508
Total attack helicopters: 111
Total air force personnel: 115,000
Military defense budget: $47,000,000,000 – #13 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1902 – #9 out of 145

8. Egypt

Total military aircraft: 1,093
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 238
Total strike and attack aircraft: 90
Total special mission aircraft: 11
Total tanker aircraft: 0
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 61
Total helicopters: 348
Total attack helicopters: 100
Total air force personnel: 50,000
Military defense budget: $5,879,500,000 – #46 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3427 – #19 out of 145

7. Pakistan

Total military aircraft: 1,399
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 328
Total strike and attack aircraft: 90
Total special mission aircraft: 27
Total tanker aircraft: 4
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 64
Total helicopters: 373
Total attack helicopters: 57
Total air force personnel: 78,128
Military defense budget: $7,640,000,000 – #38 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2513 – #12 out of 145

6. Japan

Total military aircraft: 1,443
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 217
Total strike and attack aircraft: 38
Total special mission aircraft: 141
Total tanker aircraft: 10
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 55
Total helicopters: 596
Total attack helicopters: 119
Total air force personnel: 50,000
Military defense budget: $57,000,000,000 – #7 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1839 – #7 out of 145

5. South Korea

Total military aircraft: 1,592
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 315
Total strike and attack aircraft: 98
Total special mission aircraft: 36
Total tanker aircraft: 4
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 41
Total helicopters: 807
Total attack helicopters: 111
Total air force personnel: 65,000
Military defense budget: $46,300,000,000 – #14 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1656 – #5 out of 145

4. India

Total military aircraft: 2,229
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 513
Total strike and attack aircraft: 130
Total special mission aircraft: 74
Total tanker aircraft: 6
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 270
Total helicopters: 899
Total attack helicopters: 80
Total air force personnel: 310,575
Military defense budget: $75,000,000,000 – #4 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1184 – #4 out of 145

3. China

China military aircraft | Fighters on the background of the Chinese flag

Total military aircraft: 3,309
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 1,212
Total strike and attack aircraft: 371
Total special mission aircraft: 112
Total tanker aircraft: 10
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 289
Total helicopters: 913
Total attack helicopters: 281
Total air force personnel: 400,000
Military defense budget: $266,850,000,000 – #2 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.0788 – #3 out of 145

2. Russia

Total military aircraft: 4,292
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 833
Total strike and attack aircraft: 689
Total special mission aircraft: 141
Total tanker aircraft: 19
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 456
Total helicopters: 1,651
Total attack helicopters: 557
Total air force personnel: 165,000
Military defense budget: $126,000,000,000 – #3 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.0788 – #2 out of 145

1. United States

Total military aircraft: 13,043
Total fighter and interceptor aircraft: 1,790
Total strike and attack aircraft: 889
Total special mission aircraft: 647
Total tanker aircraft: 605
Total transport (fixed-wing) aircraft: 918
Total helicopters: 5,843
Total attack helicopters: 1,002
Total air force personnel: 701,319
Military defense budget: $895,000,000,000 – #1 out of 145
Military strength score and world rank: 0.0744 – #1 out of 145

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About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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America’s 13,043 Military Aircraft Eclipse Entire NATO Inventory

Key Points

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Here is a look at the countries with the world’s largest air forces:

Why Are We Covering This?

30. Canada

29. Iraq

28. Mexico

27. Colombia

26. Indonesia

25. Spain

24. Poland

23. Thailand

22. Brazil

21. Iran

20. United Arab Emirates

19. Greece

18. Germany

17. Algeria

16. Israel

15. United Kingdom

14. Italy

13. Taiwan

12. North Korea

11. Saudi Arabia

10. France

9. Turkey

8. Egypt

7. Pakistan

6. Japan

5. South Korea

4. India

3. China

2. Russia

1. United States

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